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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30005709">On Duty</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreakfastTea/pseuds/BreakfastTea'>BreakfastTea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Gen, Misunderstandings, pre-game</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:28:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,439</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30005709</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreakfastTea/pseuds/BreakfastTea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Undergoing his initial Crownsguard training, Prompto's struggling to find his place in this new, royal world. He just wants to get everything right, even if that means pretending Noctis isn't his best friend around his new colleagues.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On Duty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Fanfic Friday #3 is here with a good ol' dose of Prompto angst! </p>
<p>Also, I feel the time between high school and the guys leaving at the start of the game is really under utilised in fanfic...</p>
<p>Hope you enjoy, Anon!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Prompto slid into the barrack’s empty restroom. He went to the sinks, staring at himself in the mirror. He was not pumped about the news he’d just received. He’d known it’d happen one day, but he was hoping it would be way, way down the line. Like maybe years down the line.</p>
<p>Because tonight, he had to attend an official function in the Citadel.</p>
<p>No one else felt his nerves. The majority of recruits were the children of various upper-class people, all of whom attended balls and events as normal parts of their lives. Others were dedicated public servants. Prompto was just some pleb compared to all of them.</p>
<p>No way would he look right in his uniform standing guard like all the others.</p>
<p>Training to be a Crownsguard was amazing, the opportunity of a lifetime. He loved the idea that all his hard work meant one day he’d be trusted to look out for Noctis. Maybe not in the same way as Gladio or Ignis, but he’d be doing it all the same. And Prompto learned that he really did have a natural aptitude for guns. For the first time in his life, he found himself at the top of his class. It was amazing. He was successful! People were noticing him. He couldn’t risk doing anything to blow it.</p>
<p>…Except he just wasn’t ready to stand in full dress uniform while his best friend entertained a bunch of super important dignitaries. It was way too much after only six months. Sure, he’d be monitored by a senior officer and working alongside another trainee, but what if King Regis turned up? Prompto might actually pass out if he met Noctis’ dad. And he didn’t want people accusing him of getting favourable treatment just because Noctis was his best friend. No. He had to be on his best Crownsguard behaviour.</p>
<p>Sighing, he splashed water in his face, stepped back from the sink. He needed to get to the briefing room. Might as well find out where they wanted him for tonight’s event. And if he watched the others long enough, he might just be able to mimic proper royal behaviour.</p>
<p>Maybe.</p>
<p>Prompto’s sigh echoed in the restroom as he walked out.</p><hr/>
<p>Noctis just about held in his sigh while Ignis swiped at yet more imaginary dust on his lapel. There was no such thing as too neat and tidy to him. Noctis, on the other hand, thought he looked fine. It wasn’t like he’d rolled in mud between leaving his apartment and arriving in his Citadel office.</p>
<p>“Do you have your speech prepared?” Ignis asked.</p>
<p>“Yes.” And it was a good one. He’d worked hard on it. He was pretty proud, actually. It hadn’t come naturally, but he was settling into this new life of increasing royal duties. Since graduation, and since he’d accepted what was a realistic workload for a human being, Noctis found he enjoyed the work he did. It gave him a purpose his life hadn’t ever exactly lacked… no, before, it all felt unreal somehow, because Dad was always close by. But with the war stepping up again and Dad called away into more meetings than ever, it fell to Noctis to take care of other aspects of maintaining the royal household’s ties to local communities.</p>
<p>“I heard from Marshal Leonis that Prompto will be on duty today,” Ignis commented, finally stepping back.</p>
<p>“Yeah, first proper ceremony he’s had to attend.” Noctis smiled. “Pretty sure I can feel his anxiety from here.”</p>
<p>“The Marshal will advise him,” Ignis said.</p>
<p>“Uh huh.” Noctis knew nothing Cor would say could calm Prompto. Not on a day like today. “There’s, like, zero chance Dad’s gonna walk into this, right?”</p>
<p>Ignis frowned. “You’re worried he’ll judge you?”</p>
<p>Noctis rolled his eyes. Not everything was about him. “No, I’m worried we’ll actually see what it looks like when a person melts into the floor.”</p>
<p>“Would you like me to monitor Prompto?” Ignis asked.</p>
<p>“No. Give him a break.” Noctis grabbed his notes and headed for the door. “If he sees you or Gladio hanging around, he’ll see it as people not believing in him.”</p>
<p>“We’re there for you,” Ignis said, following close behind.</p>
<p>“Just stay out of sight,” Noctis said, stepping out of the office.</p>
<p>“How out of sight?” Ignis asked.</p>
<p>“Not in the room out of sight,” Noctis said. “Gladio too.”</p>
<p>“Noct, you know we can’t –”</p>
<p>“Off stage then,” Noctis interrupted.</p>
<p>“Alright.”</p>
<p>Gladio met them at the elevator. “Spotted Blondie waiting downstairs,” he said, tapping the call button.</p>
<p>“He okay?” Noctis asked. He felt a flutter of nerves in his chest on Prompto’s behalf.</p>
<p>“I’ll be honest with you, I thought he’d be a wreck. All jittery and weird like he usually is. Figured we’d hear him talking over you. But he’s a model recruit. The Marshal is impressed. Hell, I’m impressed,” Gladio said. “Never thought he’d have it in him.”</p>
<p>The elevator chimed on arrival. Noctis stepped in. “Did he see you?”</p>
<p>“See me? I spoke to him!” Gladio said. “He called me Sir like all the others.” He scrubbed the back of his hair. “Wasn’t really expecting that.”</p>
<p>“He probably doesn’t want to be perceived as receiving favourable treatment,” Ignis said. He tapped the button that would take them down to the conference room. “It would isolate him from his peers.”</p>
<p>“Right,” Noctis said, trying to think of the last time he’d had a message from Prompto. He’d been so caught up with his own work he couldn’t think off the top of his head when it was. Digging his phone out of his pocket, he saw his own message to Prompto last night remained unanswered. Actually, most of his messages went unanswered unless they fell on Prompto’s rest days when he left the barracks and returned home. Noctis knew their schedules wouldn’t line up well while Prompto went through basic training, but he hadn’t expected this much silence. He’d have to find a way to catch up with his friend later.</p>
<p>The elevator deposited them behind one of the Citadel’s smaller ball rooms. It meant he could emerge on stage without having to walk through the crowd. It would be a calm, measured entry, worthy of tonight’s event. Noctis was hosting a gathering for a group of dignitaries who had supported charity efforts in Insomnia and beyond to help those displaced by war. The evening involved dinner, dance, and Noctis’ speech. As a child, he’d always thought it was strange that people would gather like this. He’d hated being made to speak to people, especially those who wanted to use the opportunity to gain favour. Now that he was older, and maybe just a tiny bit wiser, he recognised it for what it was: a game. And it turned out years of being dragged to all manner of events and functions and balls taught him how to play.</p>
<p>Noctis headed for the stage, the sound of the guests and the string quartet filling the air. He spotted a familiar figure standing beside the curtain. Prompto hadn’t attended any of these events before. When they’d been in high school, Prompto evaded every offered invite until Noctis realised his friend wasn’t comfortable. And that was fine. But today was different. Prompto was here alongside another Crownsguard. He was in uniform, standing to attention with his gaze directly ahead. It felt good to have him here. Noctis had always wanted Prompto here. Now, things felt right. The elements of Noctis’ life finally felt united.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Noctis said, reaching Prompto’s side.</p>
<p>“Your Highness,” Prompto said, complete with a bow.</p>
<p>Stunned, Noctis struggled to contain his surprise. Never, in all the years they’d known each other, had Prompto called him that. Maybe he’d used his title before they were friends, but never <em>Your Highness</em>. Prompto had opened his mouth and become a total stranger. It sounded completely wrong, and it was only years of royal training that kept Noctis’ expression from revealing how he really felt. The other Crownsguard bowed too. Noctis nodded to them both, crushed his confusion, and walked out on stage. He could figure out this issue with Prompto later.</p><hr/>
<p>Prompto ignored the sweat rolling down his back. Noctis walked on, Ignis and Gladio following. Ignis gave him a nod, Gladio patted him on the shoulder, and his colleague, a young woman called Iifa, turned to stare at him as soon as Noctis and the others were out of sight.</p>
<p>“Dude!” she gasped. “I can’t believe Lord Amicitia just touched you. And Prince Noctis greeted us!” Her whole face lit up and she clapped, bouncing on her toes. “Wait until I tell everyone later! They’ll be so jealous!”</p>
<p>“Right,” Prompto said. One of the good things about Iifa being older, and way more upper class, was that she had no idea he’d gone to school with Noctis. He forced a lighter tone. “They’ll wish they were us so badly.”</p>
<p>She held up a hand. Prompto high-fived her. Footsteps nearby forced them to resume their position as staff members from the events team appeared, ready to transform the ballroom the moment Noctis’ speech ended. Prompto and Iifa checked their IDs, making sure they had the right clearance to be this close to Noctis.</p>
<p>Since becoming a Crownsguard, Prompto understood better than ever the threats Noctis and King Regis faced from Lucis’ enemies. No one could be trusted.</p>
<p>The speech continued, the audience laughing every so often. Prompto could hear every word Noctis said. His friend had gained confidence lately. It was kind of strange to see Noctis growing. Strange, but cool. Noctis had always kept this part of himself contained at school, but now Prompto could see who <em>Prince </em>Noctis was. He felt a flicker of sadness that he couldn’t be in there watching. But that was for the more senior Crownsguard. He and his fellow trainees took the less dangerous positions. They were backup for the backup if something happened.</p>
<p>If Prompto was honest, and he could be in the comfort of his own head, he still felt a little wrong, stepping into Noctis’ world so completely. People like him weren’t supposed to be surrounded by so much grandeur. He’d contemplated taking a photography course and dedicating himself to that after graduation, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to stick with Noctis. They’d been through a lot during their years of friendship, and Prompto knew if he didn’t stay nearby now, he’d fall out of Noctis’ life. His best friend was the future king, and he was already taking on a lot of work. One day, sooner than any of them wanted, Noctis would surely be swept up in so much royal business he’d never have time for anything else.</p>
<p>Prompto didn’t want to be left behind by anyone else. He just hoped someday soon this would all feel more natural.</p>
<p>When the speech ended with a hefty round of applause, the staff slid into the room. Iifa entered behind them, Prompto following. They were under orders to monitor the staff and the entrance to the stage. It wasn’t exciting. Actually, if he was honest, it was really boring, but Prompto had experienced enough craziness with Noctis to know that boring was better. When things got less boring around Noctis, bullets tended to fly. Prompto wasn’t ready for that yet.</p>
<p>The rest of the evening went by exactly as the briefing stated it would. Prompto and Iifa were relieved, took a break where Iifa immediately boasted about their ‘encounter’ to everyone else on the same break as them, and afterwards they took up another position by the guest entrance as people began to drift away from the ball.</p>
<p>Prompto didn’t get a chance to see Noctis, Ignis or Gladio again. By the time he was back in his bunk in the barracks, he’d been through a debrief and showered. Overall, he felt pretty good about his first real event. Best of all, no one suspected Noctis was his best friend. That meant no one could accuse Noctis of favouritism.</p>
<p>Exhausted and ready for a good night’s sleep, Prompto said good night to his fellow recruits, hit his bunk, and was asleep before he even realised he hadn’t thought to check his phone for messages.</p><hr/>
<p>On the drive back to his apartment, Ignis and Gladio’s words of praise slipped by Noctis. He stared at his phone, willing it to light up with a message from Prompto. Nothing. Not even an indicator to say he was typing something. One moment with his best friend overshadowed a whole night that had, even by his own high standards, gone perfectly. His speech hit the right note, he’d <em>held court</em> the way he’d been trained to do, and he’d even enjoyed himself.</p>
<p>Except his best friend seemed to have become some kind of robotic Crownsguard like all the others since he’d joined them. Noctis was used to everyone else standing to attention when he walked by. It felt so wrong, seeing Prompto do it too without even a hint of friendship in his eyes.</p>
<p>Had Noctis been wrong to support Prompto’s choice to sign up? He thought his friend wanted to do it, but was it fair if Prompto couldn’t still be himself? Noctis didn’t need another automaton standing guard. He wanted, needed, his best friend to feel like he could be true to who he was.</p>
<p>“If you stare at that window any harder, Noct, it’ll shatter,” Gladio said.</p>
<p>Stirring from his thoughts, Noctis turned to Gladio. “Sorry.”</p>
<p>“What are you stewing on?” Gladio asked.</p>
<p>“Nothing,” Noctis said, slipping his phone back into his jacket pocket.</p>
<p>“Need to go a few rounds?” Gladio grinned. “Always helps me when I’m thinking too hard.”</p>
<p>Noctis shot him a dark look.</p>
<p>Gladio roared with laughter. “You wound me!” He clutched at his chest.</p>
<p>“We caught up with Cor briefly,” Ignis said. “He gave an overview of Prompto’s progress. It’s very impressive. He’s leagues ahead of the others.”</p>
<p>“Kid’s a natural with a gun,” Gladio said. “Who knew you could get that good from videogames.”</p>
<p>“A true marvel,” Ignis said.</p>
<p>Noctis nodded. Prompto’s talent had always been obvious to him.</p>
<p>“No wonder he always kicked our asses at every first person shooter we ever played,” Gladio said.</p>
<p>“That’s just because you suck at games,” Noctis said.</p>
<p>“Tch, games aren’t as important as true ability,” Gladio said.</p>
<p>“Prompto would disagree,” Ignis said.</p>
<p>“Not disagree,” Noctis said. “Just prove it wrong.”</p>
<p>“Maybe with a gun, but there isn’t a game in existence that could teach you how to use a sword,” Gladio said. “That requires hard work.”</p>
<p>“I agree,” Ignis said, “but that doesn’t change the fact that Prompto’s talent at videogames has easily and naturally translated into marksmanship.”</p>
<p>Noctis allowed the ensuing debate to roll right past him. By the time he got back to his apartment, he was ready to shower and climb into bed. Ignis and Gladio let him go once Ignis agreed to pick him up first thing tomorrow and Gladio promised to put him through his paces. Noctis took the elevator to his apartment, staring at his phone the whole way.</p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p>His thumb hovered over the screen, keyboard ready for a message. Except he couldn’t think of anything to say to Prompto. Sighing, he dropped the phone back into his pocket, entered his apartment, and hit the shower.</p>
<p>Clean and clad in sweats, Noctis climbed into bed. He checked his phone one last time. Nothing.</p>
<p>Sighing, he rolled onto his stomach and closed his eyes. Sleep swept over him.</p><hr/>
<p>The rest of the week flew by in a mix of training, meetings and briefings. Noctis bumped into Prompto numerous times, but he was always in the company of other recruits, and he always spoke with the same respect and blankness of all other Crownsguard. Noctis knew they were trained to be unobtrusive, but he hadn’t expected Prompto to take to it so well.</p>
<p>Noctis couldn’t let it happen. He couldn’t let this consume his friend. Prompto didn’t need to hide himself or his friendship with Noctis. Because Prompto hadn’t responded to a single message Noctis had sent, and Noctis hated it.</p>
<p>A week after the ball when Gladio handed Noctis his ass for the third time that morning, Noctis decided enough was enough.</p>
<p>Gladio had too. “Don’t come back here until you’ve worked through whatever the hell you’re so distracted about,” he said, grabbing his water bottle.</p>
<p>Leaving Gladio behind, but knowing he couldn’t go down to the Crownsguard barracks looking as sweaty as he currently did, Noctis headed to the showers. He washed and changed into a simple black sweater and slacks. Finally looking like the Crown Prince of Lucis and not a sweating mess, Noctis headed down to the barracks. He slipped in, the sound of Cor barking orders covering his entrance. Standing at the back of the training hall, Noctis spotted Prompto watching a demonstration of how to apply the escort position for taking suspects into custody. After the recruits completed it, Cor shouted an order and another pair of students shot to their feet and began running through close cover drills. It was weird watching people training in the ways to protect him and his father.</p>
<p>Especially when he had seen how some enemies couldn’t be beaten with tactics like these.</p>
<p>For a moment, Noctis was back in the memory of the night of the Marilith attack, except he replaced the blurry faces of the men and women who’d died their with the images of the new recruits in front of him.</p>
<p>Including Prompto.</p>
<p>Noctis shook himself hard, running himself through a grounding exercise hammered into him many years ago. He’d just snapped out of it when Cor caught sight of him.</p>
<p>“Your Highness,” he said with a bow. “It is an honour for you to join us.”</p>
<p>The recruits shot to their feet, each of them bowing. Noctis didn’t allow himself to stare at Prompto as he moved forward. “I’m impressed with everything I saw,” he said. “I’d like to speak to everyone in turn, if I’m not interrupting anything important.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Cor said. “Please, use my office. I’ll send people through in alphabetical order.”</p>
<p>Nodding, Noctis headed down the corridor. His heart thumped against his chest. For all his newfound improvisational skills, he had no idea what he’d say when Prompto came through the door. He’d always been first on all their registers in school, and it wasn’t any different here.</p>
<p>Taking a seat on Cor’s desk, because sitting behind it when he was going to talk to Prompto felt too weird, Noctis waited for his best friend to turn up.</p>
<p>He just hoped he’d know what to say by then.</p><hr/>
<p>Prompto felt the buzz of excitement and nerves coming off his colleagues. While some of them had met Noctis before, and a few had even spent time with him in their childhoods, it was safe to say none of them knew him the way Prompto did.</p>
<p>Iifa nudged him from her seat beside him. “Ohmigosh, can you even believe this is happening? I’m so nervous! And I’m already gross from all our drills. If I’d known this was going to happen, I would’ve brought a spare uniform with me.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it, I’m sure he won’t mind,” Prompto said. “He must be used to it, right?”</p>
<p>“What, sweaty people?” Iifa asked.</p>
<p>Despite his nerves about what the heck Noctis was going to say to him, Prompto found himself grinning. “Sure! Have you seen his Shield? That guy must work out constantly.”</p>
<p>“Okay, but Lord Amicitia is, like, the hottest guy I think I’ve ever seen in my whole life, and I swear when I saw him headed to the private gym the other day, he winked at me.” Her whole face lit up, her puffball bun bouncing as she danced in her chair. “Can you imagine going out for dinner with a guy like that?”</p>
<p>Yes. Yes, Prompto could. Because he’d had dinner with Gladio loads of times. And for a moment, he was tempted to tell Iifa everything. She was his friend, probably the closest one out of all the other trainees. But he wasn’t ready yet, so instead he played along. “I dunno. Why settle for the Shield when you could be with the future King?”</p>
<p>“Pfft! Are you kidding me? Everyone knows he’s destined to be with Lady Lunafreya of Tenebrae.” Iifa sighed dreamily. “Iifa Amicitia has such a nice ring to it.”</p>
<p>“Argentum!” the Marshal called out. “You’re up first.”</p>
<p>“Tell me everything!” Iifa hissed as Prompto stood up.</p>
<p>Prompto nodded. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was. This was Noctis! His best friend…</p>
<p>…who he’d barely spoken to in weeks and every time he <em>did </em>see him, he acted like they didn’t know each other at all…</p>
<p>The Marshal shot him a look. Prompto straightened up and stared ahead. He could do this. Totally. And then the Marshal grabbed him by the shoulder and stepped up close.</p>
<p>“No one here will treat you differently if they know he’s your friend,” the Marshal said. “You have earned their respect, but if you can’t trust them in return, how will you ever be truly reliable?”</p>
<p>Prompto swallowed hard, the tips of his ears burning. The Marshal was right, Prompto knew that, but how could he tell the truth now?</p>
<p>Dragging himself down the hallway, Prompto knocked and entered Cor’s office. Noctis perched on the edge of the desk, one leg swinging. He glanced up at Prompto. “Hey,” he said, same as always.</p>
<p>Prompto made sure the door was shut behind him. “Hi,” he said, voice strangely high.</p>
<p>He heard Noctis take a hefty breath. “Are they treating you okay?” Noctis blurted out.</p>
<p>Thrown by the question, it took Prompto’s brain a second to catch up. “Yeah,” he said. “Everyone’s great. I’m… it’s going really well.”</p>
<p>“You’re sure?” Noctis asked. “You seem different.”</p>
<p>A nervous laugh bubbled up. “Do I?” Prompto asked. “I’m still me.”</p>
<p>Noctis frowned. He seemed genuinely pained for a moment. “Oh,” he said.</p>
<p>Prompto blanched. “What about you?” he asked. “You’ve been busy, huh? I guess you just have so much to do now and I do too, what with training and –”</p>
<p>“Neither of us is that busy,” Noctis said. “If you’re unhappy, you don’t have to keep doing this.”</p>
<p>Prompto shook his head. “Noct, I’m not unhappy. I love it. I’ve never been this good at anything in my life!”</p>
<p>“Then why are you so different?” Noctis demanded, uncharacteristically forthright.</p>
<p>“But I –”</p>
<p>“You don’t have to start calling me Your Highness and acting like you’ve never met me before. You’re not here because I made it happen; you’re here because you earned it,” Noctis burst out.</p>
<p>“I didn’t… I thought… I just wanted to be the best I could be, and I thought… uh… y’know… protocol and…” Prompto trailed off, words failing him. He hadn’t realised until this very moment what his sudden behaviour change had done. “I’m sorry, Noct. I didn’t think I could behave the way I usually do around you and keep my job.”</p>
<p>Noctis sighed. “That’s what I mean.” He stared at Prompto, whereas in the past he might’ve looked away. “This job doesn’t have to change you like that.”</p>
<p>“What if they all treat me differently knowing I’m your friend?” Prompto asked.</p>
<p>“If they do that, then they shouldn’t be here and eventually they’ll flunk out,” Noctis said. He’d been around Crownsguard training long enough to know every new cohort lost a few recruits every training cycle. And there was a chance Prompto would be one of them if he didn’t learn to be a real team player.</p>
<p>Prompto sniffed hard before he could embarrass himself with any messy crying. “This is harder than I thought it would be.”</p>
<p>“Training?” Noctis asked.</p>
<p>“Behaving right!” Prompto moaned. “Everyone else just gets it, and I tried to be the way they are too, calling you by your title, but it’s upset you and also I didn’t think people would be cool with me if they knew we’re friends and aaargh!” He threw his hands up in the air. “Why is all this stuff so complicated?”</p>
<p>Noctis laughed softly. “I’m sorry you felt you had to hide everything.”</p>
<p>Prompto shook his head. “No, I should’ve just been me from the start. Sorry, Noct.”</p>
<p>“So, we’re cool?” Noctis asked.</p>
<p>“Duh! Of course we are!”</p>
<p>“So, pizza at my place tonight? You’ve got rest days coming up, right?”</p>
<p>“Pizza delivery or an Ignis special?” Prompto asked.</p>
<p>“Delivery. Ignis and Gladio are both spending time with their families and I dunno how to make it myself from scratch,” Noctis admitted.</p>
<p>“I’m there.” Prompto held out his fist. “No more hiding.”</p>
<p>Noctis bumped it with his own.</p>
<p>“So, did you really come down here to talk to everyone or just me?” Prompto asked.</p>
<p>Noctis pushed himself off the desk and walked around it, sitting in the Marshal’s seat. “If you’d be so kind as to send the next recruit in, Mr Argentum.”</p>
<p>“Oh, wow, Noct. You’re screwed. What are you even gonna talk to them about?” Prompto asked.</p>
<p>“I’ll think of something,” Noctis muttered.</p>
<p>Laughing at his friend, and touched by his concern, Prompto headed out. He returned to the training room, nodded to the Marshal, and returned to his seat at Iifa’s side.</p>
<p>“Tell. Me. Everything!” she squealed, earning looks from the others.</p>
<p>Grinning, Prompto leaned back in his chair. “I ever mention Noct and I went to school together?”</p>
<p>Her mouth dropped open. “Did you just call His Highness <em>Noct</em>?” she gasped.</p>
<p>He shrugged, hoping it looked casual and not terrified. Because here he was, taking a plunge. “Yeah, we’re kinda friends.”</p>
<p>She grabbed Prompto’s hands. “If you do not use that friendship to get me a date with Lord Amicitia, I’m not sure we can hang out together anymore.”</p>
<p>Laughing, Prompto nodded. “I’ll do what I can.”</p>
<p>“Amazing,” she said. “Alright, now sit there and tell me everything you know about Prince Noctis because I just know you have stories!”</p>
<p>And as Prompto shared some of his and Noctis’ not-so-crazy exploits and a crowd gathered around, he realised he had nothing to worry about after all. These were good people, and he had earned their respect, just as they'd earned his.</p>
<p>Maybe, just maybe, he could be himself here. He even caught sight of the Marshal giving him a nod of approval.</p>
<p>Yeah. Maybe he could do this after all.</p>
<p>Feeling lighter than he had in weeks, Prompto finally relaxed.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>(hahahaha, spot the not even slightly subtle FFIX shoutout)</p>
<p>See y'all again real soon! Until then, I'm over on <a href="https://breakfastteatime.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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